Threads of Fate
by aviatrix8
Summary: What brought Jadaar and Asric together? Was it just fate? Or something else, entirely? Jadaar/Asric, mild slash


Copyright, Aviatrix8, 2011. World of Warcraft and all related characters are property of Blizzard, and are used without permission.

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World of Warcraft fanfic:

"Threads of Fate"

by Avi

"Hey Asric... Do you believe in destiny?" asked Jadaar.

Asric's tankard paused, halfway to his lips. The steam from his mulled mead rose into the icy air.

He and Jadaar were currently standing out in the freezing cold, at the grounds of the Argent Tournament. Today, they had decided against actually participating in the tourney, choosing instead to watch from the relative comfort of this bar... As usual.

Asric stared at his drink, as he pondered Jadaar's question.

"Are you really that drunk, to be indulging in such philosophical questions?" he asked.

Jadaar rolled his good eye. "Just humour me, brat."

Asric took a sip from his tankard, then put it down. "No, I don't believe in destiny. I know your kind believe in the Light, but personally, I don't like the idea of being controlled by some mysterious hand of fate."

"So you don't believe that things happen for a reason?"

"Nope." Asric turned to look at Jadaar. "What brought this up, all of a sudden?"

Jadaar shrugged, and stared down into his drink.

"Haven't you ever wondered how we both ended up here, at the same place? I mean, look at us: we're both of different races, of opposing factions even, and yet somehow, here we are... Together. We even ended up at the same inn in Dalaran, even though we both took separate routes to get there!"

"That's not so improbable," argued Asric. "We both ended up in Northrend, because that's where all the adventurers were headed at the time. We both ended up at the same inn because it was the cheapest place in Dalaran; plus, we used up all our money from travelling. We stayed together because we didn't know anyone else in the city... Even though we couldn't stand each other."

He glanced at Jadaar when he said this, but the draenei refused to be distracted.

"Yet here we are now," pointed out Jadaar. "Together. And you still think it's all just a coincidence?"

"It's as good an explanation as any," replied Asric. He took a sip of his drink, frowned, and set it down on the bar, where it stuck. "Let's continue this conversation elsewhere. My drink is beginning to freeze in its mug."

"Alcohol doesn't freeze."

"It does at this temperature. Let's head back to the inn, to warm up."

The two started to trudge through the snow. Jadaar tucked his freezing hands under his arms, while Asric blew on his own fingers, to warm them.

"It's going to be another cold night," said Asric, with a shiver.

Jadaar nodded curtly.

Asric gave him a sidelong glance. "Looks like we'll have to huddle for warmth... Again."

Jadaar felt himself flush. He was feeling warmer already.

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It was just another day in the lower city of Shattrath. At his usual stall, Griftah kept an eager eye out for any potential suckers... Er, customers.

There just didn't seem to be as many customers as there used to be, though. These days, most adventurers headed towards Northrend and beyond to seek their fortunes, rather than Shattrath. But Griftah was a patient troll, and took any customers that he could get. Having a little business was better than none at all, in his opinion.

Griftah's expression then darkened. He had just recalled how he had nearly gone out of business for good, all thanks to that meddling Peacekeeper and that nosy Scryer.

But he fixed _dem_, didn't he? The troll grinned wickedly, bringing his long tusks into prominent view.

It wasn't very well known, and Griftah was careful never to show it, but he did know _some_ magic. He just found it more profitable _not_ to use magic on his own wares.

Like many of his race, he had been a witch doctor at one point; thought admittedly, not a very good one. However, Griftah had been smart enough to get out of the profession before he got turned into a shrunken head, and he still knew just enough magic to practice a little voodoo of his own.

First off, he needed some hair from both the draenei and the blood elf. Surprisingly, this had been easy to to get his hands on: Griftah managed to cut some hair from Jadaar while standing in his blind spot; and as for Asric, the elf had been suitably distracted at the time, as he tried in vain to detect magic from Griftah's own wares.

From there, it was simply a matter of sewing their hair into dolls, and planting the seeds of discord into each of them... Thereby causing the two to fight amongst themselves, and look incompetent in front of their superiors.

Griftah chuckled to himself. He had been surprised by how well the spell actually worked. He had even managed to get the two fired from their jobs! Not that the troll regretted it, one bit. After all, they were part of the reason he had been banished from the city, even if it was only for a short time.

Besides, he had probably done them a favour. Griftah had watched both of them closely, just as they had watched him. The troll knew how to read people, and he could tell that both the draenei and the elf were lonely people, clearly married to their work. They could use each other's company.

From what he'd heard, the two were now in Northrend, still bickering, as always... And strangely enough, still together.

Griftah then frowned, as a thought crossed his mind. Was it possible that he mixed up his spells, and cast a different one instead?

The troll picked up a pair of voodoo dolls from a shelf, and eyed them carefully.

Just then, an unwary adventurer walked past Griftah's stall. The troll's eyes lit up, and he set aside the dolls.

"Hey mon, ever heard of tiklabangs?" Griftah called out. The adventurer hurried off.

On the shelf behind him, a pair of voodoo dolls lay forgotten: one sewn out of blue cloth, the other, with brown woolen hair. Both were connected by a length of red thread, which was tied to each of their hands.

END

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Just a weird idea I came up with. After all, there's at least _one_ person responsible for bringing Jadaar and Asric together in the first place.

BTW, the red thread reference is from Japanese folklore, which claims that soulmates are connected by an invisible red thread.


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